MUSIC THEORY LEARNING GUIDE

Level IA
Edited by Elizabeth Riegert 2017

1
 Music Theory Program – Level IA

The Level IA program is intended for students in Beginning Concert Band, Junior
Orchestra and new members of Concert Choir. The program focuses on very simple skills of
reading, notation and the language of music.
Activities are noted in each section of this program guide and will be handed out in
class. Extra copies can be found on Miss Riegert’s teacher blog (under VT Theory Units) at
blogs.ubc.ca/elizabethriegert/. Assignments must be submitted on the due date; late
assignments will not be accepted (unless due to excused absence or illness).
All instruction will take place during class. Students with additional questions are
encouraged to ask their classmates for help or to schedule a tutorial with Miss Riegert outside
of regular class time.
Assessment:
● 2 Written, Take-home Assignments
● 2 In-class Quizzes
● 1 Final Test
Topics
1. Pitch Naming
a. Accidentals
b. Clefs
c. Enharmonic Names
d. Whole Tones and Semitones
2. Major Scale Writing
3. Scale Degree Identification
4. Key Signature Identification
a. Up to 3 sharps (#) and 3 flats (b)
5. Major Triads
6. Rhythm
a. Note/Rest Values
b. Time Signatures
c. Counting System
7. Musical Term Recognition
a. Tempo
b. Dynamics
c. General

2
 Grading Rubric

Criteria Meeting Approaching Not Meeting

Expectations Expectations Expectations

Effort and Student is on time for Student attends class Student is not on
Participation class with all with most of their time, or does not
materials (theory materials and listens attend class (without
package, homework, attentively to an excused absence)
writing utensils, and discussion and does not bring
instrument) and lecture. materials to class and
actively participates does not pay
in class discussion. attention or
participate in class
discussion.

Homework Student completes Student completes Student does not

and submits most of homework complete homework
homework on time questions on time on time or receives a
with all questions with a grade of 60% grade of 59% or less.
answered for a grade or more.
of 75% or more.

Examination Student completes all Student completes Student does not

exam/quiz questions most of exam/quiz complete most of
within allotted time questions within exam/quiz questions
for a grade of 75% or allowed time for a within allotted time
more. grade of 60% or and/or receives a
more. grade of 59% or less.

Materials to bring to each class:

● Pencil and eraser
● Theory Package
● Homework
● Band Instrument

Additional (optional) resources – (purchased online or at your local music store):

● Keyboard Theory: Basic Rudiments – Grace Vandendool
● Keys to Music Rudiments (textbook and workbooks) – Boris Berlin
● Harmony and Voice Leading (textbook and workbooks) – Edward Aldwell

3
4
 1. Pitch Naming
A: Each key on the piano keyboard will sound as a different pitch. Similarly, all string, brass,
woodwind and pitched percussion instruments can sound numerous pitches across a broad
pitch range.
The pitch names in the “musical alphabet” are: A B C D E F G
B: Accidentals - Each of these pitch names can be modified by adding a sharp or flat sign.
The sharp sign will raise the pitch by one semitone from its natural pitch. The flat sign will lower
the pitch by one semitone from its natural pitch. To cancel either of these symbols, a natural
sign is used. All three of these signs are known collectively as accidentals.

♭ ♮ ♯
FLAT NATURAL SHARP
It is important to note that when written in text, we say the pitch name first, followed
by the accidental (i.e. B-flat or F-sharp). However, when written on the staff, the accidental will
always appear before the actual note. (i.e. ♭♩)
C: Clefs - Each pitch has a place on the staff. A staff must include a clef to indicate the
range in which the pitches should sound. Placing a note on the staff tells a performer which
pitches should be played. In our school ensembles, four different clefs are used. Below is a list
of all the instruments which use each clef, along with a graphic of the clef itself.

Treble Clef Alto Clef Treble Clef (Octave Tenor Clef* Bass Clef
Transposition)
Flute (and piccolo) Viola Tenors (choir) Bassoon Bassoon

Oboe Trombone Trombone

Clarinet Euphonium Euphonium

Bass Clarinet Cello Tuba

All Saxophones Cello

Trumpet/Cornet *Tenor clef is only String Bass

used for these

5
 French Horn instruments when Basses (choir)
the written pitch is in
Violin
a range significantly
Sopranos (choir) or consistently above
the bass clef.
Altos (choir)

D: Building the Grand Staff – Each line or space on the staff houses a different pitch, and
each clef has different pitches. On the previous page, you learned that each clef houses a
different pitch (treble – G, bass – F and alto/tenor – C). See below for the pitch names for these
clefs on the grand staff.

Treble clef: Tenor clef:

Lines from bottom up: Lines from bottom up:
EGBDF DFACE
Spaces from bottom up: Spaces from bottom up:
FACE EGBD

Bass clef: Alto clef:

Lines from bottom up: Lines from bottom up:
GBDFA FACEG
Spaces from bottom up: Spaces from bottom up:
ACEG GBDF

E: Enharmonic Names - Every pitch has the possibility of more than one name. Even
though the sound of pitch doesn’t change, its additional name(s) are called enharmonic names.
For example, using the piano keyboard we can easily see that between the white keys for G and
A, there exists a black key. The black key can be called either G♯ or A♭ because of its distance
relative to the white keys.
F: Whole Tones vs. Semitones - The smallest distance between two pitches is a
semitone. The distance of two semitones is called a whole tone. On a piano keyboard, you can
identify a semitone by playing two immediately adjacent keys. Playing a semitone will sound

6
like the famous opening to the theme song from Jaws. A whole tone will sound like the first two
pitches of Happy Birthday.

2. Major Scale Writing

A scale is a sequence of pitches, ascending or descending, that follows a pattern of
semitones and whole tones.
A Major scale will contain 8 pitches, exactly one octave in range. For example, if the
scale starts on C it will continue up (or down) until you reach the next C.
Using your knowledge of whole tones (T) and semitones (ST), you will be able to identify
that a pattern exists within all Major scales. The pattern is shown below:

3. Scale Degree Identification

There are two main ways to identify where a pitch fits into the scale of a given key
(solfege and numbers). For our purposes we will only learn the modern system using scale
degree numbers. In the example below, you’ll see a C Major scale with the scale degree
numbers identified below. To ensure that others will understand how you use the numbers,
you must always place a caret (^) above the numbers.

7
 To identify the first scale degree, you should first look at the name of the key. For
example, in C Major, the first scale degree is C. This information will be extra useful when
learning about triads.

4. Key Signature Identification

Key signatures are a collection of the accidentals found in a scale. They tell us which key
our music is in and which notes will need to be played flat or sharp. For the purposes of this
theory unit, you will be expected to know the Major keys up to 3 flats and 3 sharps.

Flat Key Signatures Order of Flats Sharp Key Signatures Order of Sharps

F Major B♭ G Major F♯

B♭ Major B♭ E♭ D Major F♯ C♯

E♭ Major B♭ E♭ A♭ A Major F♯ C♯ G♯

To identify the name of a key signature To identify the name of a key signature
containing flats, look at the second to last containing sharps, look at the last sharp and
flat. For example, if the key signature count up one semitone. For example, if the key
contains B♭ and E♭, the name of the key is signature contains F♯ C♯ and G♯, then one
B♭ but if the key signature contains B♭ E♭ semitone up from G♯ is A and therefore the key
and A♭ then the key is E♭. signature would be A Major.

8
 C Major contains no flats or sharps.

The Circle of Fifths:

This shows all Major keys, their relative

minor keys as well as
the key signature
associated with each
key. Notice that if we
move right (clockwise)
around the circle, the
intervals are fifths, but
if we move left
(counter clockwise)
the intervals are
fourths.

5. Major Triads
A triad is a collection of three pitches played simultaneously (harmonic triad) or in
sequence (melodic triad). A Major triad is comprised of the first, third and fifth scale degrees.
We call this “spelling a chord”. Triads can also be called chords and are used by composers to
add musical interest by accompanying a melody.

9
6. Rhythm - Rhythm is the manner in which sounds are organized. The duration, or value, of
each note or rest must reflect rhythmic accuracy by individuals so that different musicians
performing different parts maintain strong rhythmic integrity.
A: Note and Rest Values - Notes have relationships to each other in the same way as
fractions. For example, eight “eighth” OR four “quarters” OR two “halves” will make one
“whole”. We use the same words to describe note and rest values.

Similarly, rests have the same relationship (as illustrated above). Observe in the example below
the rests shown in sequence from whole rest to eighth rest.

*Whole rests are used to indicate an entire bar of rest, no matter what the time signature may be.

B: Time Signatures – The time signature identified in the example above is an important aspect
of organizing music. The two numbers provide different information for us. The top number (numerator)
tells us how many beats are in a single bar or measure. The bottom number (denominator) tells us what
note value gets one beat.

To easily read a time signature, simply say it like a fraction. For example, a measure with a time
signature of 3/8 consists of three eighths. The key signatures you will be expected to know are 2/4, 3/4
and 4/4.

10
 ♩♩| ♩♩♩| ♩♩♩♩
C: Counting System – Different musicians rely on different systems of counting their music. As a
developing musician, you may have organized a way to count that brings you success. For the purpose of
being able to communicate consistently amongst student-musicians at VanTech, the following are
examples of the counting system we will use to represent:

● Duration of notes that sound

● Duration of rests
● Subdivision of each beat

It is absolutely true that the first beat in any measure of music will be represented by “1”. Look
at the following examples as you come to understand the rules listed below.

1+2+3+4+ 1+2+ 3+4+ 1+ 2+ 3e+a 4+ 1 +2 +3+ 4e+a 1+ (2+ 3+) 4 +

1+ 2+ (3+ 4+ 1+) 2+ (3+) 4 + (1 2+) 3 e + a 4+ 1+ 2+ 3+ (4) +

Counting System Rules:

1. Use a regular (or larger) sized number or ‘+’ symbol to identify the beat or part of a beat on which
the note begins to sound.
Use smaller numbers or ‘+’ symbols to identify that the note continues to sound until the end of its
value.
2. Use parentheses to surround numbers or ‘+’ symbols to identify the full duration of a rest.
3. In every measure, each eighth must be indicated by a number or ‘+’ symbol to ensure that no part of
a measure was left out.
In a passage of music which uses sixteenth notes or sixteenth rests, you must use the ‘1 e + a’
pattern of counting.

8. Musical Terms

Communicating in a common language is an important aspect of musicianship. Composers and performers use an
efficient system of expressive terms when describing music or providing instructions for how the music should be
interpreted. Most often, these terms are provided in Italian. Some composers like Mahler, Grainger or Debussy are known
to also use German, English, and French terms. The list below are terms you are expected to know for any in class quizzes
as well as the final examination.

A. Tempo

11
 Italian Term English Meaning

Grave Slow and solemn

Lento Slowly

Largo Broadly

Adagio Slow and stately

Andante At a walking pace

Moderato Moderately

Allegro Lively and quick

Vivace Fast

Presto Very fast

Accelerando Gradually faster

Ritardando Gradually slower

Rallentando Suddenly slower

Mosso Motion

B. Dynamics

Italian Term English Meaning

Pianissimo Very soft

Piano Soft

Mezzo piano Medium soft

Mezzo forte Medium strong

Forte Strong

Fortissimo Very strong

Crescendo Gradually stronger

Decrescendo Gradually softer

Diminuendo Diminishingly

C. General Use

Italian Term English Meaning

Meno Less

Piu More

Poco a poco Little by little

12
Subito Suddenly

Da capo The beginning

Coda Ending

Fine The end

Tutti All together

Solo One single performer

Soli A small group of performers

13